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5
NAPIER MAIL, JANUARY 23, 2013
NEWS
4807801AB
Taradale Road (next to Gull), Napier
A BRAND NEW FIRE
AND INSULATION
INSTALLED
IN YOUR HOME FOR
JUST $10 A WEEK
Woodsman, Firenzo, Kent.
Government grant and loan arranged along
with your permit and installation. Mainstream,
Hawke's Bay's No.1 leading heating provider
(H.B. Regional Council 2012)
Call Mainstream today 835 8220
For a free no obligaton assessment and quotation
Showroom: 4 Taradale Road, Napier
Vandals attack ''ghost town''
Smashed: The empty houses are
inviting vandalism.
Derelict: Graffiti on
an empty HNZ
house in Maraenui.
Photos: CLAIRE
HAMLIN.
By CLAIRE HAMLIN
Houses standing empty in
Maraenui are being vandalised,
dragging the whole community
down''.
Meanwhile many people are
waiting for a Housing New Zea-
land home --- if they are even
able to get on the list, according
to a residents' action group.
Tu Tangata Maraenui said
changes to the criteria for apply-
ing for homes, and families
being separated and evicted, is
disheartening to the community.
Vandalism of the park, new
toilet block and shopping centre
is increasing as there are no
longer residents living opposite
to spot trouble, the group says.
Tu Tangata Maraenui pres-
ented a petition to Housing New
Zealand last year regarding the
department's proposed urban
renewal'' programme, which had
seen houses in the area
removed, demolished, or stand-
ing empty after being declared
earthquake-prone'' but have yet
to receive a straight answer'',
said group member and Napier
City Councillor, Maxine Boag.
It's deserted, like a ghost
town,'' she said.
It's just inviting mischief and
trouble really and it drags the
whole community down. Sure
some of the houses are ram-
shackle and need a facelift but
it's hard to see them sitting
empty when there's people
really struggling to find hous-
ing. We just don't know what is
going to happen to those houses.
The city council put a lot of
money into upgrading the
shopping centre, building a new
toilet block and playground,
with no idea HNZ was going to
empty the houses out.
You would have thought they
would come to council during
our 10-Year-Plan submissions
last year -- those are our people
who are being affected and hav-
ing their lives turned upside-
down,'' Ms Boag said.
As a council, we had no idea
this was going to happen.''
Resident Minnie Ratima said
she knew of a family of 14 living
in a three-bedroomed house
with only one bathroom, who
had been waiting for a larger
home for years''.
On the other hand, there is a
lady with only two children left
at home, living in a four-
bedroomed house. I can't under-
stand why they can't swap hou-
ses,'' she said.
I've been moved out of my
home, where I lived for 12 years
and, while I'm not far away, I
don't feel part of the community
any more. I want to go home.
Right now, those empty houses
are livable but they won't be
soon, because people are just
smashing them down.''
Housing New Zealand spokes-
person, Cassandra Rivers, said
HNZ had a number of mechan-
isms in place to prevent and
reduce vandalism.
This includes working closely
with police and using a wide
range of security and surveil-
lance systems,'' she said.
We also encourage the public
to call police if they see any sus-
picious behaviour.
Unfortunately despite these
efforts vandalism does some-
times occur, in some cases it is
incredibly hard to stop someone
intent on causing damage.''
Work had begun on building
18 new state homes in Kettle
Cres, Maraenui, consisting of 12
two-bedroom, four four-bedroom
and two five-bedroom homes.
They were expected to be com-
pleted in October 2014.
Housing New Zealand sym-
pathises with the residents of
Maraenui and would like to
reassure them that we are com-
mitted to improving state hous-
ing in Napier,'' Ms Rivers said.
Tu Tangata Maraenui meets
weekly on Tuesday evenings at
6pm, at EIT Maraenui.